THE EYES OF A WARRIOR
by LilPookieDixon
Summary: Dee Dixon is Daryl and Merle's 7 year old lil sister. She is Smart, sweet, innocent and over protected by her brothers. But she has something special and will show she is just what her brothers nicknamed her: she will show she is an ass-kicker and a warrior.
1. Chapter 1: Ain t risking our ass

**Diana Darcy Dixon** is a 7 year old girl who is a bit of a smartass and very stubborn with beautiful colored eyes. She grew up under her brothers' love and protection

**Daryl Forest Dixon **is 27 years old strong, rude with everyone and with a golden heart inside.

**Merle Joshua Dixon** is a 34 years old, racist and sexist manipulator.

CHAPTER 1: AIN´T RISKING OUR ASSES

**Daryl´s**** Pov:**

"We ain´t risking our asses again, baby bro!" Merle explained "especially not hers" he stated looking through the rear view mirror of the van to the sleeping form of our baby sister.

"It may be best for her" I replied "the camp may be safe"

"And the people?" He retorted "we dunno what kinda people we are gonna find there. We can´t trust in anyone anymore. We never could!"

"Not all people are bad!" I said a bit louder than before careful not to wake Dee up "Tommy was good."

"Tommy was an exception but we dunno these people." He replied.

"Let´s give ´em a chance we won´t let them get close to her till we know what kinda people they are. They may be the family we always wanted for her to grow up with." I told him.

"That whatcha want!" he shouted.

Dee whined and opened her blue-green-brown eyes a little bit. I turned to face her

"Shhhh lil fighter get back to sleep Merly didn´t want ta wake ya up" I whispered soothingly.

"Sorry lil ass-kicker" Merle apologized

She nodded and closed her gorgeous eyes and 2 seconds later we heard her breathing even out as sleep once again claimed her tiny body.

"See whatcha did?" –I scolded my brother

"Look! I know ya always wanted her ta grow up in a family, unlike ours. But we are her family now and we cannot risk starting over again. We just left shithead back there!" He stated.

"And if he comes back?" I questioned.

"If he comes back, and that's a big if, we will throw him to the brainless" he said

I pulled the van to a stop at the camp and climbed out, grabbing my crossbow and a squirming Dee from the back seat.

"Shhhh princess. It's ok. It's Boo." I whispered

She groaned and rested her head on my shoulder.

Grabbing her bag from the trunk we headed towards the camp.

"Hey baby bro!" Merle called "pass her ta me. Ya need both hands ta handle the bow but I just need one for my gun."

I nodded allowing Merle to take Diana from me adjusting her to his sit on his waist.

"Merly?" she question her voice laced with tiredness.

"It´s me lil ass-kicker now be a good girly and don´t look back. Ok?" He told her.

"k" She said.

Then she noticed me "hey Boo" she greeted with a huge smile.

"Hello lil fighter" I smiled back

"Where we going?" she asked

"Uh… ehh…" Merle and I stuttered in unison.

"Far far away from the shithead, baby sis, far far away." Merle answered finally

"Hello" a black haired man said gaining our attention." The names Shane. Shane Walsh." He said raising his hand out in a way of introduction.

Merle grunted pointing the gun at the man and holding Dee closer to him "Shhhh don´t move" he whispered to her. As I pointed my bow at the man and cautiously stepped forward to defend my baby sister if anything happened.

"Hey, hey!" Shane said lifting his hands to the air in an attempt to show he meant no harm. "I'm not a threat! I ain´t hurting ya! I aint gonna hurt ya! Who are ya?"

"I'm Daryl Dixon" I said defensively stepping in front of Merle.

"Merle Dixon" he grunted.

"And this lil one here?" he asked pointing to Dee.

"It ain´t none of yer business"- Merle spat turning around to hide and protect her from his sight.

"Oh, ok" he stuttered.

"Merle, put the gun down!" I ordered him whilst putting my bow down.

"No" he retorted

"Are there more people there?" I asked suspiciously indicating towards the camp.

"Y…Yes" he answered, intimidated by Merle "follow me"

"Ya dun give us orders" Merle said more suspiciously than I did.

"C´mon" Shane said to me "I'll introduce ya to the rest of the group. He can stay here if he wants."

I nodded. But Dee soon started crying "no Boo! Dun go! Please don't leave me Boo! Please stay"

"I'll be back, warrior princess, don't you worry about that" I assured her kissing her forehead "stay here with Merly. Make sure he behaves. Okay"

She nodded burying her face in to Merle´s shoulder

I knew she hated when we became separated. When me and Merle had to leave her in the daycare to go hunting, at first she started crying and trying to follow us. Then Tommy arrived. Tommy Johnson was the director of Dee´s daycare. He was also my best childhood friend. He was great with Dee. She adored him. So we left knowing she would be fine and looked after till we picked her up.

Shane directed me to a crowd of people.

They looked good. There were women and children maybe they were the group we wanted. No needed.

"This is Carl" Shane pointed to a young boy that looked a little older than Dee "his mother, Lori" He pointed to a brown haired woman.

"Carol, Sophia and Ed Pelletier" he pointed at a family. The man had a dangerous look in his eyes a look of hatred and pure evil. Similar to the look in the eye of the disgrace I called father.

"Amy, Andrea, the Morales family, Jim, t-dog, Jackie, dale, and Glenn" he pointed to everyone receiving a wave or in some cases a nod.

I nodded taking in all the names.

"This is Daryl Dixon" Shane introduced "he came with his brother and… niece?"

I shook my head "sister" I said

"Oh! Sorry" Shane apologized as he lead me away with him "Merle doesn´t seem like much of a talker"

I shrugged

"If ya guys want to take a tent, you are free to do so there´s an empty one over there" he said indicating to an empty tent.

"Okay" I said as I walked towards my siblings.

Merle was sat in the floor with Dee sitting on his legs. He was holding her tight as I got closer I could see she was crying. I ran over.

"What´s wrong?" I asked

"Merl…y says there… there are monster…monsters that ki…kill p …eo…ple" she sobbed in Merle´s arms.

Her beautiful three-colored eyes were full of tears. Her hypnotizing big eyes. Those eyes lasted in your mind forever. No one had forgotten those special eyes.

I looked judgingly at my brother "it´s the best explication I could give her" he stated matter of factley.

"But they ain´t getting ya, we promise ya we ain´t letting anything happens to ya" I promised.

"Pinkie Promise?" she asked giving us her little fingers

Merle and I looked at each other and nodded crossing our fingers with her "Pinkie promise" We replied in unison.

She sighed.

"Go to the van where we can see ya, in the front seats" Merle told her "Boo and I have things ta talk ´bout".

I stood up and held her hands to pull her up. I went with her to the van, grabbed her teddy bear, and gave it to her so she didn´t feel lonely and then I closed the van door and headed back to Merle..

"How´s the people?" he asked

"Not bad, but there is this guy that don't look to good" I reported back

"What if he gets her?" I questioned

"We won´t let him get close of her. We won´t put our guard down."

"Hmmm…."

"There´s an empty tent for us and there´s food. I dun want to eat squirrels, that it´s the only thing we will find, for the rest of our lives!"

"Okay, but remember this: if anything, ANYTHING, happens to her, every fucking time something happens to her, I'll punch ya twice, TWICE, YA HEAR!?"

He grew closer to me, with a threatening look he grabbed my shirt. "DO YOU HEAR" I nodded

"Now, let´s get settled" he said walking towards the van. He scooped Dee up from the seat and told her something. He put her down as she came running to me. I lifted her up

"What did Merly tell ya, baby?" I asked her

"That ya´re warned and that I had to go with ya" she said as she rested her head on my shoulder.

I started off towards the tent Shane pointed out to me before.

There were sleeping bags in the corner. I put Dee down and started opening the sleeping bags.

Merle arrived with Dee´s and his bags.

"Where´s my bag?" I asked

"In the van" he answered "I ain´t carrying it. I'm not an ass."

"Where´s Tommy?" Dee asked before I could reply

"Dunno" Merle said "I dunno if he´s even still alive"

I could see how Dee´s eyes filled with tears and she began to cry

"You stupid ass!2 I told him as I went to Dee and hugged her.

"It´s the truth" he said

"We had always pushed her away from the truth!" I said rocking my baby sister "Shhhh, princess, Merly didn´t mean that"

"Tommy dead!" she screamed

"No! No, listen" Merle took Dee from me and laid her in his arms "he may be alive, girly, but we dunno for sure. I dun wanna give ya false hopes."

She buried her face in Merle´s chest and sobbed as they hugged- "go grab yer things"- he told me

I went to my van and grabbed my bag. I turned back to the tent to find Merle had put his and Dee´s sleeping bags out. Dee was drawing something on some paper on hers. She would be sleeping between Merle and I. And Merle was searching for something in his bag,

"Hey lil bro" he turned to me "put yer sleeping bag out, I need ta drink "water"" he used the quotation marks in "water", as he showed me a small Vodka bottle in his pocket and smirked to me. Then he kneeled beside Dee "ya stay with Boo. I'll be back in a lil while" he kissed the top of her head.

"Don't go mad with it" I whispered him as he shook his head and walked out the tent.

Merle and I had an agreement ´bout the things we could do and could not close to Dee:

THINGS ALLOWED: insult our father, aka shithead.

THINGS NOT ALLOWED: drink (alcohol, obviously), drugs, smoke, bitches, bad words, dirty things, steal, yell, fight, pornography.

Merle and me grew up with all the NOT ALLOWED and didn´t have fun. We wanted Dee to have everything we didn't. We strictly carried out the agreement.


	2. Chapter 2: Warrior Goddess

**Authors Note : ****Hope you enjoy this story and a special thanks again to my special friend Fiona who beta reads for. Thank you for reading and your continued support and please review.**

CHAPTER 2: WARRIOR GODDESS

**Daryl's pov:**

I put out my sleep bag and sat beside my sister "what´s that?" I asked indicating to the drawing she had just completed.

"Momma!" she stated.

There on the paper was drawing of a black haired woman with green eyes wearing a green dress. That´s the way we always described her to Dee. But she had never gotten the chance to know momma.

_**FLASHBACK**_

"_AHHHHHHH!" momma screamed. She was giving birth to her third child. Till now, it had always been boys in our family, generations and generations without a girl… until that moment_

"_It´s a girl!" I announced _

"_A GIRL!?" the man I had the misfortune to call a father exclaimed angry as he rose from the sofa he was sitting on watching TV " YOUT STUPID BITCH!" He spat as he began the beating of our mother "THIS WAS YER FUCKING FAULT! STUPID SLUT! A DAUGHTER! BITCH! FUCKING FUCKER! FUCK YA!- He grabbed his belt and proceeded to beat her. _

_I had, somehow, managed to maneuver the crying newborn baby in to my arms. I cautiously wrapped her in a blanket. Merle quickly took the small bundle from my arms and pushed me briskly out of the room. _

"_Dun look" he whispered._

_As quickly as it started the beating was over and our father stormed out past us, probably going to the nearest bar he could find._

_The house was silent apart from the muffled cries of the baby and momma. I somehow managed to silence the baby. Our mother was unconscious on the wooden chair with blood everywhere. I felt tears roll down my face. _

"_She is still breathing but we gotta go now!" Merle reported whilst taking her pulse._

"_Ain´t we gonna help her?" I asked._

_He shook his head in reply "Gotta get baby stuff first" he said._

_I nodded and followed him out. _

_We managed to get formula, diapers, bottles and clothes. Only just and totally legal…. But we got them._

"_How do ya do it?" I asked as I watched my brother feeding the baby._

"_Just dumping the bottle in her mouth" he answered simply, like it was the most normal thing he´d ever done "no big secret on there, dun ya think?"_

_I shrugged. "What should we name her?"_

_She moved her legs like she was kicking something, we both noticed it. _

"_Lil ass-kicker" Merle said "Ye lil ass-kicker Dixon. Gotta ring to it dun it?" _

_I chuckled "sounds good, but we gotta think of a better one. I heard, somewhere that Diana means "Warrior Goddess" in… Greek, I think or some shit like that"_

"_Warrior, huh?" he looked at the baby and then to me "Dixons are warriors… and with the shithead around, more reasons for her to be a fighter."_

_I nodded "yep. But we ain´t letting him do nothing to her, right?"_

_He shook his head "Of course not. Diana it is then."_

"_Dee" I said "and a middle name?"_

"_You chose Diana. It´s my turn to choose, And I choose Darcy." He stated_

"_Why?" I questioned_

"_Why not?" he looked at me questioningly _

"_Dun get me wrong! I like it" I said_

"_Me too so here we have Lil Diana Darcy Dixon" he announced. _

_I smiled. She looked up at Merle with tiny inquisitive grey eyes. She was beautiful. She looked like a Dixon, totally._

_After she was burped she drifted into a settled sleep._

"_What we do now?" I asked "if we go home, he might get her."_

"_We ain´t letting nothing get her I promise" he said protectively. "Plus the waste of space is probably still out drinking. We will be fine if we get home and upstairs before he gets back."_

_I nodded "Okay. Let's go" _

_We headed home and after checking the house was clear and HE wasn't in we went to the living room to check on momma. She wasn't there_

"_Where is she? What? What if he got her? What are we gonna do? We Have to do something" I panicked _

"_First of all you need to calm the hell down. Secondly Momma is fine she probably just gone to get some smokes, drugs or booze you know what she is like. Okay?" he said placing his hand on my shoulder trying to calm me down._

"_Okay?" he repeated finally able to pull me out of my panicked state_

"_O…Okay!" I replied _

"_Good now come on upstairs before he gets back" he said as he pushed towards the stairs and then to our room._

"_We forget the crib!" I stated once we reached our world_

"_She´ll sleep in our beds" Merle said_

"_Ya sure?" I asked _

_He nodded "course. We can´t steal something as big as crib. They´ll catch us and if they catch us, Shithead gets her."I was surprised Merle was thinking of someone but himself._

_That week, we made sure Diana was healthy and safe from Shithead. One stayed at home with her while the other hunted. The most tiring week I ever had. She was born on Friday, and that day the Cherokee roses started to grow out back And when she was one week old , the monster and momma had a fight, so we both walked out of the house and went hunting and took her with us. And thank god we did!_

_When we got back, our house was a blazing inferno. Busy bodies from the town were stood at the fence giving us questioning looks of pity. And what a surprise the creature was nowhere in sight._

_My mother had started drinking; taking drugs and smoking before Dee was born. She had done the three things after the fight and she didn´t stub the cigarette out before falling asleep. We had no home and no momma anymore. Momma always protected us when we were lil and we always tried to protect her once we grew up. So we gonna do the same for Dee._

_**END FLASHBACK**_

"That´s a good drawing, lil warrior" I told her

"I know it is .Can I show it to Merly?" she asked

"Not just now" I answered "why don't you wait till he´s back."

"Please he's just out the tent" she said looking up at me with her big eyes which where impossible to say no to.

"okay, but let me go out first, k?" I never could resist those perfect eyes.

"Ok" she said as I stepped out the tent to find Merle drinking his vodka

"Whatcha doing out?!" he said when he saw me "she´s alone!"

"Hide the fucking bottle. She wants ta show ya a drawing she did" I said

"I'll come in" he said putting his vodka in to his pocket.

"Hey Merle" she greeted " ya wanna see my drawin?"

"Course I do little bit " he stepped over Dee, who had her hands up holding her drawing

"Like it?" she asked

Merle smiled and ruffled Dee´s hair "Like it, I love it. every drawin of yers is art, lil ass-kicker."

She smiled. I was happy to see the smile upon her face, she was only 7. She didn´t realize the world was over. She was still the smiley, sweet, loving, innocent baby girl she had always been.

Also I was sad for her, because she wouldn't remember the old world when she grew up and she would grow up in an apocalyptic world. And there was not a damn thing me and Merle could do bout it.

"Are there more girls or boys my age, Boo?" she asked

"Dunno" I lied shrugging.

"Ye Ya do I know ya were going to meet people while I was with Merly earlier." She said

Merle and I shared a shocked look.

"How do ya know that, my baby smartass?" Merle asked

"Cuz I'm not silly" she answered with a smirk "I'm a smartass"

Merle and I laughed hard "we know that, Dee" we smiled at our lil sister

Dee could really shock yah. When ya thought she wasn´t listening, she would be then she'd comes to ya and start asking questions and finally ya find out that she knows even more than you do.

**Please don't forget to review ;) **


	3. Chapter 3: Cherokee Rose

CHAPTER 3: CHEROKEE ROSE

**Daryl's Pov:**

Merle picked up Dee and swiftly began tickling her

"Stop it, Merly!" She laughed "stop it! Boo! Help!" She begged.

I started tickling her as well, she began kicking at the air as she laughed shouting at us to stop. We finally stopped when she shouted out the fact she had to pee.

I took her outside and away from the tent turning my back to give her the privacy she needed but also keeping my eye out for the dead. She told me that when we got back, no tickle monster and I agreed there would be no more tickle monster.

"Merly!" she said as soon as we entered the tent, announcing she was back to my brother

"What, lil bit?" he asked

"No tickle monster!" she ordered

"Ok, lil ass-kicker but with a condition" he replied

"What is the condition?" Dee inquired

"Ya come over here and give yer old big bro a big tight hug" he said opening his arms to our sister.

She ran to him and almost knocking him over. They hugged tight and he kissed her warmly on the cheek. I knew how much Merle loved her. Although he would never admit it to anyone but her. As I did, of course. She had something special that made everyone who met her fall in love with her. We weren´t like this 7 years ago. If Daryl 7 years ago had seen this, he would have kicked my ass till I was unconscious. And if Merle 7 years ago had seen him in that right moment… he would have killed himself.

I was absorbed in my thoughts when Dee´s voice made me jump.

"Merly! You're suffocating me!" she said

I noticed Merle was hugging her tightly in their hug

"Sorry, sugar" he apologized letting her go.

She noticed I was looking at them with a hint of jealousy in my face and she ran to me hugging my leg as I picked her up and hugged her tightly against me.

"Dun be jealous, Boo" she laid her hair in my shoulder "I love ya the same as Merly"

"I know that sweetheart" I whispered and kissed the top of her head "but I love ya more than anyone"

"Even Merly?" she asked looking up at me, then at Merle

I nodded and grinned at my baby sister "yep"

"Why?"

"Dunno" I said "since the day ya were born, you're the most important thing to us

"I also love ya more than I love d… I mean, Boo" Merle said

"But, why Merly, ya must know why?" she asked

"I guess cause you're our baby sister, and you're more littler than us, I'm not sure" Merle said

We had believed it was our brotherly instinct. That was what Merle meant. I don´t know how I held her the day she was born, or how I hushed her up. I just know I didn´t want Shithead to grab her, and I was going to do anything to keep him away from her. At any cost.

Suddenly there was the sound of someone clearing their throat outside the tent.

"its… um … its Shane. We've just finished cooking up some dinner If ya want to come dinner, you're invited" Shane said as I opened the tent flap.

Merle grunted and I buried Dee´s face in my chest as I held her close climbing out of the tent.

"Ya hungry, hon?" I asked her

"Yes" she answered mumbling into my chest

"Wanna go get some dinner?" I asked her.

"Yep" she said popping the 'P'

"Two against one, Merle" I told him stepping away from the tent with Dee in my arms and grabbing my cross bow

She looked above my shoulder "c´mon, Merly! Come with us!"

"I ain´t hungry, sugar" he said

"Please! Please! Please!" she pestered

He sighed getting up and walked towards us "just for ya and no one else"

"Yay!" she smiled and put her arms out to Merle, who picked her up, putting his gun in his pocket. He then pulled her head in to his chest.

We walked towards a group of people sitting around a camp fire. The flames illuminating the faces of the people I only new by name.

"This is Daryl, as ya already know, this is his brother Merle and their little sister…"

"Dee" I answered as I heard Merle grunting.

"Merly?" she asked sounding scared

"Shhhh, sugar. It´s okay" he said in soothing tone

"Ya can all sit over here" Shane told me sitting with the black haired woman and kid who I suppose were his family

We ate and they told us the only way to kill the "walkers" and to save yer ass, was to shoot them right in the brain.

"Why?" Merle and Dee asked at once.

I smiled at my siblings. They were the same in so many ways they were both very curious and inquisitive. Dee asked anything. Like:

_**FLASHBACK**_

"_Dee, ya have to go to sleep when its night time"_

"_Why, Boo?" she questioned_

"_Cuz it´s like that, we are awake in the day and we sleep at night"_

"_Why?"_

"_Cuz in the day we get tired out"_

"_And why"_

"_Cos at night time the sun goes to sleep, so we have to do the same, okay?"_

"_Okay, but why does the sun hafta go to sleep?"_

"_Just go to sleep, ass-kicker" I said getting tired of the questions. _

"_But why do we get tired at the day, Merly?" I was happy how she directed the question to Merle instead of me._

"_D__unno, just go to sleep and we´ll find out tomorrow, baby fighter. Tomorrow is gonna be a long day of finding out why the sun goes to sleep."_

_Damn why did'nt I think of an answer like that. This situation could have been long over if I had the brains to think of answering like that._

"_Okay! Night Merly Night Boo" she said planting a kiss on both of out cheeks._

… _**END OF FLASBACK**_

She obviously got it from Merle, who wanted to know everything. They both could drive ya crazy in a matter of minutes.

"Dunno, but it´s the only way to kill ´em" Shane said

"Hmmm…" Dee, who was sitting between Merle´s legs with her back on his stomach, considered the answer "no sense. Why in the brain instead the heart or the tummy?" she looked at me waiting for the answer.

Everyone smiled a little. We were all thinking the same. Kids don´t shut up. They always say whatever is on their minds.

"I dunno, Dee." I answered

"Will we find it out someday?" she asked

"I sure as hell hope so" Merle answered this time, ruffling her hair

"How old are you, Dee?" The black haired woman next to Shane Lori I think her name was asked Dee. I could see Merle staring at her with a threatening look as he wrapped both arms around Dee protectively.

He grunted lowly, but loud enough for me to hear it and to Dee to moan scared.

"Shhhh" Merle said without raising her eyes from the woman.

Dee sniffed as Merle quickly turned her back so that she was now burying her face in Merle´s chip. He hugged her and finally looked down at her when she calmed down a little

"Time to sleep now, sugar" he whispered to her.

"Not sleepy or tired" she replied

Merle sighed- why?

"cause I don't" she answered as he smiled a little so only I could see it.

"Okay then a little bit longer" he bargained kissing her forehead.

We talked a while more and everyone decided to go to turn in for the night.

Once in our tent, after helping Dee in to her PJ's, we go in to our sleeping bags. Every night it was the turn of whoever was in the same bed as Dee, to stay awake, ´till she fell asleep. But today was the first time Dee had slept in her own sleeping bag instead of the same one as one of us, so we had agreed it would be my turn.

But tonight, she was taking her time to fall sleep.

"What´s wrong, lil? Is it the monsters?" I finally asked

She looked at me and shook her head "No I'm cold and I wanna sleep with ya"

"I'm here, lil bit" I said "you´re with me, I'm right here"

"But I cannot sleep" she begged "please Boo"

I rolled my eyes and motioned for her to come in to my sleeping bag. She was really thin so we fitted in pretty well. She settled in immediately, her head under my chin and her body stuck to mine. I rubbed her back and closed my eyes.

"Boo" she asked above the sound of Merles snoring

"Yeah?" I said kissing the top of her head.

"Tell me the Cherokee rose story please"

Every night it was the same thing the story, or a lullaby.

I sighed and started: "The story is that when American soldiers were moving Indians off their land on the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying so much 'cause they were losing their little ones along the way from exposure and disease and starvation. A lot of them just disappeared. So the elders, they said a prayer; asked for a sign to uplift the mothers' spirits, give them strength and hope. The next day this rose started to grow where the mothers' tears fell." as I finished the story I heard her breathing even out so I kissed her head and closed my eyes and swiftly fell asleep knowing my little sister was safe next to me.


	4. Chapter 4 : Scars

CHAPTER 4 : SCARS

**Merle's POV:**

When I woke up the following day, I found that Dee had crawled into Daryl´s sleeping bag. His breathing changed and his eyes began to open "Hi" he mumbled.

"Hi. I take it she didn´t want ta be alone in her sleeping bag, huh? I greeted smiling over at my sleeping sister

"Na, she didn´t. Said she couldn´t sleep" he answered.

We soon heard her yawning"morning" she greeted

"Morning, baby ass-kicker" I greeted back

"Morning, lil warrior" Daryl greeted too "Did you sleep okay?

She nodded "like a rock"

We all swiftly got up and left out tent.

"Morning, Guys" Shane greeted as I took Dee´s hand "breakfast is ready if you want some"

Daryl nodded and we went and got some breakfast. Whilst we ate a young boy probably a bit older than Dee came and sat across from us with a book full of maths exercises and began to do them. Then a woman I presume to be his mother, the same woman who asked Dee her age the day before.

"C´mon Carl, it´s easy, look, if tom wants to make a square of bricks, that has the same breaks on each side and he has 20 brick, how many bricks will have each side?" she read the exercise out to him

"5" Dee answered "each side will have 5 bricks, because 4 goes into 20 5 times"

"That´s right, Dee" the woman said, as Dee hid behind my legs. She always was shy with strangers at first "ya are very clever"

"Dun do nothing" Daryl whispered in to my ear "let it continue Lori is doing no harm she is just being kind"

"Merly says I'm his lil smartass" Dee said hugging my leg

The woman giggled "Do you like maths, Dee?"

She nodded. She loved maths. Always had done probably always will.

"If your brothers let you, do you want to come and do some maths exercises with Carl?" She asked "ya could help him. He ain´t very good in maths, actually"

Dee, who had now removed herself from behind my leg, looked up at me with pleading eyes. I looked at Daryl who shrugged his shoulders and carried on looking at Dee. I picked her up and quietly asked her what she wanted do.

"Please, let me do maths it's my favorite" she said before the question fully left my mouth.

"Okay, but be careful. We´ll just be over there" I said "but before, ya know the condition" I smiled tapping my cheek, she hugged me tight and placed a kiss on my check and then did the same to Daryl.

As she ran over to Carl and Lori Daryl moved closer draping his arm over my shoulder "You did good brother. Don't worry we will keep an eye on her" he said

"I know we will, we always have" I replied

After a long while, Carl and Dee got up and Dee came running to us.

"Merly, Boo can I go play with Carl? Please, we are going to play tag"

"Hmmm…."I mumbled "I'm not sure…

She looked at me with her wide and beautiful tricolored eyes

"Go, but careful don´t fall" Daryl said before I could answer "and dun go too far"

"Yay!" she jumped up and down

Daryl kneeled down and pointed at his cheek, motioning my baby sis to give him a kiss.

She did it and ran towards Carl

"Why the fuck did ya do that?!" I got pissed at Daryl

"Do what?"

"Let her fucking go with him!"

"oh, c´mon, he´s just a kid, he ain't a damn rapist!"

"I know that, but…"

"But what? We have to start letting her grow up a bit. Did you know Lori asked me about her last night?" he stated

"What do you mean? What did she say?" I questioned

**FLASHBACK **

_**Daryl's POV:**_

_I couldn't cope anymore I was beginning to feel claustrophobic. I wiggled my way out of the sleeping bag careful not to disturb Dee and swiftly pulled on my boots. As I exited the tent the fresh air flooded my lungs. "That's better" I stated quietly to myself obviously not as quiet as I thought as a voice pulled me from my thoughts._

"_Everything okay" I swiftly turned my head at the voice. It was Lori looking at me concerned._

"_Yeah" I stuttered still trying to get my breath back "Just don't do small spaces"_

"_Ahh, Okay I umm just put some tea on if you'd like some" She asked_

_I looked her up and down then I heard a small voice at the back of my head saying 'not everyone's out to get you Daryl'. "Sure, why not" I replied walking over to her._

_I sat next to her as she poured me a mug "Everyone else is in bed apart from Shane who is over there on watch" she said pointing to the RV "How you finding the tent?" she asked._

"_Okay I guess a bit cramped especially seeing as Dee decided to crawl in my sleeping bag with me" I told her a small smile creeping onto my face just thinking about her._

"_Aw she seems a sweet girl. Im sorry I didn't get her age last night what with how your brother acted … im sorry you don't have to answer tha…"_

"_Nah its fine my brother can be an asshole at times she 7 and she is sweet" I replied_

"_oh she seems younger than 7… I'm sure Merle is a nice guy when you get to know him…" she said with a smile_

"_s'pose your right about Merle. I guess it's our fault Dee acts younger than she is. We are a bit over protective after the shit life she's had so far." I said numbly preparing for the onslaught of questions. But they never came._

" _I won't ask about your past but from the way Dee is with the both of you the way she idolizes you, you can't be doing a too bad a job of looking after her" _

"_Thanks I guess you're right. Your boy Carl was it, seems like a good kid maybe him and Dee will end up being friends" I joked _

_She giggled "You never know. Not many kids to be friends and play with nowadays"_

"_True True" I said_

"_Right I'm going to turn in for the night Carl has lessons tomorrow. Goodnight Daryl" she said as she began to stand_

"_Goodnight Lori thanks for the talk" I said with a smile and stood and headed towards the tent_

**END OF FLASHBACK**

**Merle's POV:**

"Cheeky bitch getting her nose all up in our busin…" I started

"No! she was right we need to stop smothering her she 7 she needs to run about and fall over and laugh with kids her age we can't wrap her in bubble wrap. Okay" When did Daryl finally grow a pair but as much as i hate to admit it he was right.

"Okay" I nodded

We were sat watching Carl and Dee play when 2 girls and a boy walked over to them. We also moved closer to be able to hear what they said

"Hey! I'm Sophia and these are Eliza and Louis" a girl with short hair introduced to them both.

She blushed at first and looked at me and then to Daryl who moved and knelt down next to her

"Hey, Dee" he told her "dun be shy, k?"

She nodded and turned back.

"She´s Dee" Carl answered for her

"Yeah, we know the new one" the other girl said "can we play with ya?"

"No, ya can't!" I said from my spot

"Merle! Bubble wrap" Daryl shouted "Kid wasn´t asking ya!"

I looked at the four kids´ scared faces, then at lil Dee who was obviously confused and on the edge of tears. I then looked at Daryl who's eyes were full of anger.

"Merly" Dee whispered "why?"

"cause… huh…" I rubbed my head looking for an excuse.

"Please, Merly" she said in low voice "wanna play with ´em"

Once again, I gave up under the pleading eyes from Dee "k, go play with all ´em, but remember, do not fall, ya know what happens when ya fall cause ya go running to fast"

She nodded and they all started playing again.

All anger dropped from my face as I saw the large smile spread across her face. My face no longer had 'the monster face' etched onto it. 'the monster face' as Dee called it was what I did when I got mad at someone, or anyone who was bothering Dee.

**FLASHBACK**

_Daryl and I were driving back after our daily run. But we couldn´t go home yet, of course, without lil 4 year old Dee. We were going to the daycare to pick her up_

_We reached for the handle of the door and went in._

"_Hey! Mary, bertha, Ethel! Stop it!" Tommy Johnson voice boomed through the room "stop being mean!_

"_But she´s weak stupid girl!" a girl said_

"_Dee's a WEAK STUPID GIRL, Dee's A WEAK STUPID GIRL!" 3 girlie voices chanted as we heard a cry. It was Dee; we would know her cry a thousand miles away._

_Daryl and I quickly run into the playroom and Daryl picked up a crying Dee_

"_WHO´S MOCKING AT MY SISTER?!" I yelled with anger in my eyes "WHO?!" _

"_IF WE EVER FIND OUT SOMEONE DOES ANYTHING TO HER, YA WILL REGREET IT!" Daryl ended_

"_If anyone makes fun at anyone, ya´ll be all punished" Tommy scolded "ya´re all warned!"_

"_Yes, Tommy" they all said looking ashamed_

"_Ya all owe Dee an apologize" Tommy said to the three ring leaders._

"_Sorry Dee" they said in unison as Dee locked her arms tighter ´round Daryl´s neck still crying._

"_Ya are punished for what ya did" Tommy said " go to the corner and stay there till I say the opposite!"_

"_Yes Tommy" they said going towards the corner. _

"_THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?!" I yelled at Tommy with my "monster face"_

"_t- They s-said I- w-w-as s-stupi-d a-an-d we-we-a-k!" Dee sobbed in Daryl´s shoulder, who kissed her head and rubbed her back as he rocked her back and forth._

"_Grrrr…"I grunted, I was really pissed off "if anyone made fun of my Dee, they´ll have to deal it with me!" _

_They all nodded scared_

"_Merle that's enough there kids." Daryl scolded as he rose from the fround with a still sobbing Dee attached to his neck._

_We went home and Dee told us along with tears and sobs that they challenged her to a race. But she didn´t want to because of the problem with her skin. But the girls thought she was a coward and a chicken and started calling her that. But from that day, no one had dared to bother Dee, knowing what would come after._

**END FLASHBACK**

"NOO Dee!" I heard Daryl screaming running towards Dee who missed a step and was falling, but Daryl caught her just in time. Everything was like slow motion.

I ran beside them as the four kids formed a ring around us

"Dee, sweet, ya ok?" Daryl asked with her in arms as she nodded

"How about we make sure, k sugar?"

She nodded. I raised her trouser leg uncovering all the scars on her legs. But nothing new, so I nodded to Daryl and he put her down on her feet

"Wow!" Carl said "how many ouches, Dee!"

"each one has a story." She mumbled the saying we always told her.

"Game over for ya, Dee" I said "it was too close._ If Boo doesn´t get ya…"_

"I know, Merly" she said "I would have fallen and I would have had a new ouch. But why I gotta have to stop playing?"

"Because ya were warned, baby girl" I told her with both severity and sweetness at once "we told ya to be careful and ya wasn't"

"I was!" She replied "but I stumbled"

"If ya had been watching were ya were running to, ya wouldn't have stumbled" I said- it was my fault for letting ya go play. So let's go."

I picked her up so she couldn´t go as she waved at her friends from my shoulder "bye. See ya later"

"Bye!" they all said at once

We went to the tent and I got her out of her trousers to check every detail of both her legs checking for new injuries. Dee´s problem was that the smallest and silliest bruise, fall, wound… they all lasted forever in her skin. Every time the shithead hit, dropped or scratched her, were recorded in her skin. All those times Daryl and I couldn´t stop it, all the times we had failed her, when we turned around and he took her. Never letting go blaming her for being a girl… I will never stop blaming myself for every fucking time I wasn´t there on time… I regretted so much, even Dee didn´t understand it, she didn´t notice, she didn´t blame us.

"I'm sorry, baby girl" I apologized

"What for?" she questioned

"For all this"

"Ya didn´t do it"

"yeah but… I'm sorry he did"

"It´s ok" she smiled towards me

I pulled her pants up and I sat her on my knee and I looked at her tricolored eyes "Don´t forget this, Dee: I will always love ya, even when I'm gone. Ya know ya´re the best thing that ever happened to me, right?" She nodded..

"Well, sugar. Ya´re strong and gonna make through this world. Because ya´re a Dixon."

I hugged her tight and kissed her head as she hugged me back.

"Ya mad at me?" she asked breaking the hug

"No, ain´t" I said "it was my fault, I was the one responsible "

"Why?"

"Cause I'm the one who let ya go" I answered

"But I'm the one who fell" she replied

"Ol' Merly ain´t letting nothing happens to ya" I said "and Boo ain´t too"

She nodded "I know"

I smiled "then dun forget it, k?"

"I won´t" she said

"That´s my sugar" I said "now, let´s get back with Boo, k? So we tell him ya dun have any new ouches"

She nodded as I gently pushed her off my legs to get up and held her hand as we walked towards Daryl.

"Hey, Boo!" she ran towards him

"Careful, baby!" I shouted after her

She finally reached Daryl who picked her up happily

"What, sweetheart?" He asked "where ya been?"

"In the tent" she said excitedly as I got there "and guess what!"

"What!?" my brother asked with fake excitement

"I don´t have any recent ouches!" She smiled

"That´s great baby!" he smiled

He looked at me for confirmation.

"Yeah!"


	5. Chapter 5: Don t Go

CHAPTER 5

**Merles Pov**

"Hey!" Shane called over to us "need ta talk with both of you."

"I can stay with her while ya talk" Lori said "Carl told me about the tag accident and they are just gonna stay in the tent playing cards"

"Please?" Dee looked at me pleadingly

"K" I said kissing her head as Daryl kissed her cheek before putting her down

"Bye!" We said in unison "we´ll be back in a while"

"Ok, but dun go far, please" she said going to sit beside Lori as we nodded

"We would never go far without ya, princess" Daryl assured her

We walked away with Shane

"Look, we need someone ta go on the supply run along with Morales, Andrea, t-dog, Glenn and Jacqui tomorrow. It's a simple in and out to Atlanta, we already got a list of the stuff we need and we've already seen the majority of the stuff in a department store."

"We ain't leaving Dee alone" Daryl exclaimed

"We will do it like we did before! I said to calm him "one goes and the other stays"

"Okay Ya go" he said "ya stayed with her the last time. It´s fair"

I sighed "k" I turned to Shane "I go, he stays"

"Ok" he nodded " be careful, dun use yer gun much; the noise attracts the walkers."

I rolled my eyes and turned to Daryl.

"Just one problem I said "what are we going to tell her?"

"Huh… that ya´re getting back in a while, and it´ll be ok" Daryl replied

We told her when we picked her up from Lori´s tent

"What?!" She said "but why? I dun want ye to go!"

"the others wouldn´t make it without me, hon" I said

She looked sad and nodded.

"I'll be back, sweetie" I assured her "I swear to ya, baby"

"Cross yer heart?" she asked, looking up and raising his pinkie to me

"Cross my heart, soul and mind" I crossed my pinkie with hers "Dixon word."

She hugged me tight as I heard crying softly and I hugged her back

"Hey, there, there," I said kissing the top of her head "what´cha worried ´bout? Ya doubt Ol' Merly?"

She shook her head "dun want ya to go, even though you'll come back."

"Ya prefer Boo going?" I asked as she quickly let go of me and grabbed on to Daryl's neck, he hugged her "guess that´s a no. But one of us gotta go, girlie."

She sobbed into Daryl´s embrace; her eyes turned all glassy blue, like always when she was sad.

I really hated to see her crying

"Maybe Merly can get ya something during the supply run" Daryl said "can´t he?"

"Sure I can" I answered "why not?"

I could see a lil smile on her lip

"But that is gonna cost ya a long kiss and one extra to show how grateful you are" I teased.

She reached for me and "paid" the long one

"Are you nor grateful?" I joked

"When ya make yer part of the deal" she answered grinning

"Ya´re tough dealer, love" I said "but ok, when I get here with the gift, ya give me what ya owe me"

She nodded.


End file.
